Bionicle: Paradise Lost
by FallenTurtles
Summary: The heroes of Bionicle learn to trust one another as they battle the Bohrok.Version 1.5, revisions and edits made, extended ending added.
1. Introductions

Backing away slowly only gave Kopaka so much room to work with as he stared at his increasingly more powerful opponent. He watched as more Tahnok flooded out of the rocky wall they had burst through moments ago. His thoughts raced between his own survival and the safety of Mata Nui and its inhabitants. As the creatures approached, he noted the distinctive blue eyes that bore themselves into his mind. He found it ironic that eyes with such a strong blue glow like that of the peaceful sky itself would soon be the end of him. The lapse of logical thought quickly faded as the first Tahnok drone approached. With a quick, clean swipe of Kopaka's blade the creature was dispatched. He bent at the knees and stood ready for the next attack. His eyes slowly contracted, leaving only a single slit of bravery and strength glaring at the approaching Tahnok. With one last moment of thought back to the defenseless inhabitants of Mata Nui, he yelled. He yelled louder than any Toa, much less than any Bohrok, had ever heard. His scream came from the deepest desire he had felt since his awakening on this island, the desire to rid the island of these foul creatures. With three quick strides, the Tahnok now faced an enemy they had never known, the temper of a rational being who had decided to forego his logic for his pure instinct. The Tahnok were about to face hatred itself, a hate that focused itself through the sword of a Toa. The Tahnok charged...

Bionicle: Paradise Lost

Chapter I - Introductions

...With a fury greater than that of the elusive Muaka, Kopaka struck true with his sword. Jumping and turning about in the air as if using his Miru, he demonstrated the very art of aerobatics. His mask had shaped itself into the Hau, giving him a slight glimmer of hope that he would escape this onslaught without serious injury. That hope died as he realized that for every Tahnok he struck down, two more would come crashing upon him. Their mass alone was becoming enough to knock him down. Random spurts of flame would caress his body as the Tahnok fought with every bit of hive-mind intelligence they possessed. For a moment, only a brief moment, Kopaka thought he saw a flash of remorse surge through the body of one of the attacking creatures. It ended with a vicious death as its destructive head snapped forward and was met with Kopaka's sword.

The balance of power shifted quickly as a particularly aggressive Tahnok managed to slip behind and underneath Kopaka, bringing the Toa down. The Hau could protect him in this vulnerable state only to a limited degree, and it soon became apparent that the Tahnok were going to seize his mask and force a Krana upon him. In a moment of futile hopes, Kopaka almost gave in to the fear. His thoughts quickly reverted back to Mata Nui and its dwellers. As his mind faded away, the last thing he saw was the head of one of the Tahnok being struck with such a force it would've shaken Mount Ihu itself.

"Welcome back, friend. Did you assume too much of yourself again? Dare I even ask why you felt the need to combat such a great number of the Bohrok by yourself?"

Kopaka awoke to the sight of a gold Pakari. A pair of dark, green eyes looked back at him blankly. "Onua... I would take on every Bohrok on this island if it would only shut your mouth."

"I think he's going to be just fine," Pohatu pleasantly remarked, "Just fine."

"You're lucky we found you, Kopaka. Pohatu and I were coincidentally following those Tahnok through the tunnels they used to attack you."

"I can care for myself."

"You certainly took care of these Bohrok. What did they do, ask you to become partners?" Pohatu added sarcastically.

Kopaka's eyes flashed as he spoke, "Yes, they did, now go ahead and you try asking, I promise, I will not be so lenient."

Onua lifted his fallen comrade and continued on with Pohatu. It would be some time before Kopaka would be able to fight again, moving on was all there really was to do. "Onua, we must hurry, Tahu will be leading the others into battle soon. They will need our help," Pohatu stated after seeing a fallen Bohrok in their path.

"Calm yourself, they can take care of themselves. Our assistance will not be needed."

Kopaka shifted his pale eyes at Onua, "I do not like the sound of that."

"Where are they?" Tahu shouted at nothing in particular.

His words were short lived as a limp Bohrok body flew in front of his face. He squinted as he glared at the Toa of Water as she gracefully dodged the charging Lehvak, occasionally using her monstrous claws to pick on and throw it with the might of a true warrior. "Why thank you Gali, please, toss some more in front of my face! I'm having trouble," Tahu stopped speaking momentarily to grunt as he ripped his flaming sword through a Gahlok, "finding my own kills."

Gali simply kept moving about, ignoring Tahu's confident sarcasm. She watched a green ax fly through the air and strike one of the Lehvak preparing to pounce upon her.

"I bet that hurt, do you think that hurt it?"

"Lewa, there is a time for sarcasm," she shot at him, "now is not it."

"Yes ma'am, whatever you say," he spoke with crude words as he delicately swung his mighty weapon at the approaching Bohrok. This was the moment Lewa enjoyed most, he often baited his attackers with a show of fantastic aerobatics before any counterattack on his part. Several Gahlok separated themselves from the main mass to flank Lewa as he ran about in what appeared to be a frantic panic attack. He looked over his shoulder and lowered his head. He gently lifted his hand, turned it towards the Gahlok, then waved it towards himself. With his other arm, he lifted his ax to the best striking position possible, directly above his head. He yelled and immediately sent the Gahlok into a furious charge towards him. Using his Miru, he lifted himself off the ground several meters. He watched casually as the Gahlok stopped directly underneath him and looked up. Released himself form the air, and crashed his mighty ax upon the airborne gaze of the Gahlok. A gleeful sense of satisfaction overcame him as he heard the crunch that signaled a successful strike. One Gahlok struggled, not yet dead. It curled itself into a small ball, thereby making it quite obvious that its right arm and leg had been severed. Lewa brought his ax up into the air, his entire structure tensed as he readied himself for what would be a fantastic swing. But he stopped, and brought the ax down slowly away form the trembling Gahlok. He used his weapon to force open the barrier for the Krana inside. Upon removing the Krana, he felt somewhat disturbed by the fact that the Gahlok simply stopped moving. Nevertheless, he threw the Krana upon the ground and brought his ax down so hard on it that his feet lost their grip on the ground below. He walked over to the fallen Gahlok and poked it two times for any signs of life. "Odd," he said, "It didn't even attempt to retrieve its stolen Krana. How odd indeed."

His moment of curiosity was spoiled by a scream of pain from Tahu. Lewa's head snapped to the left and he saw several Lehvak tackle Tahu down, his sword solidified, lying next to him. Lewa again used his Miru and launched himself at the mass of Lehvak. He struck with anger he had not felt before. His ax became a blur as he struck again and again. As he gradually became angrier, he began to scream at the Bohrok. He became louder with each swing until he was straining himself. Tahu watched as his companion grew furious. He backed himself away from the swarm and Lewa as well. Tahu, nor any of the Toa, had ever seen Lewa act this way. Gali had now pulled herself to a large ledge away from the Bohrok and she watched as Lewa thrashed about. She then watched as the Bohrok swarms did something no Toa would probably ever see again. The Bohrok, every species present, began to withdraw from the battle. The Lehvak specifically near Lewa began to run at their top speed away from the Toa of Air. Lewa watched as they ran, but wasn't satisfied. He called upon a great wind, which lifted several Bohrok off their feet and straight at him. His ax sailed through every creature that flew at him. In the end, he had destroyed over twenty of the Bohrok, which now hung lifelessly over each other. He only calmed when he felt a great force hit his side. He was knocked to a wall and realized his entire structure was wet. He glared at Gali, whose eyes were fixed on him. Her claws outstretched, it was obvious what had struck him. With a feeling of despair, he dropped his ax to the ground. Tahu approached him very slowly, his sword drawn and somewhat poised to strike. Lewa looked up at the fiery warrior and got himself off the ground. "Perhaps it is time we had a little talk, Lewa," Tahu said coldly.

"What?"

"Give me your ax."

"Why? I have done nothing wrong!"

"Give it to me!" Tahu's eyes flared as he spoke, his sword beginning to glow a light orange shade. Lewa judged the intensity in Tahu's words and picked up his ax. He handed it to Tahu who quickly passed it on to Gali. Lewa watched as Tahu and Gali began to walk away. He looked around the fresh battle zone, noting the pile of Bohrok he had dispatched himself. Again, he noticed a Lehvak who wasn't dead. It struggled under the weight of the other Bohrok bodies as it tried to get free. Lewa walked up to it and watched it casually. Its movements seemed so peaceful and so harmless. He bent down and looked at it directly in the eyes. The Lehvak stopped moving and glared right back at Lewa. After a few moments, the creature's head dropped down quickly. It remained motionless. Lewa stared at it a bit longer, then continued to follow his friends. The only thoughts that truly plagued his mind were regrets of giving his ax to Tahu with so little resistance. The sun set over the rocky valley that had become a battleground in a very dark red tone that evening.


	2. Muaka

Chapter 2 - Muaka

The sunrise rendered little comfort to the Toa. The Bohrok swarms were becoming more powerful. Their last battles had been far less successful than those of the past. Sheer power was not what the Toa worried about, however. The Bohrok were becoming smarter. With every encounter, whether it was one or one-hundred Bohrok, they had been able to analyze the fighting styles of the Toa and adapt with frighteningly little time. Lewa's vicious attack was something no creature on Mata Nui had experienced and it came as quite a shock to the swarm and the other Toa. Yet their thoughts were clouded with the idea that maybe it was time to resort to such violence. The Bohrok were merciless themselves. There was little point in trying to remain honorable in the face of such an enemy.

Gali woke before the other Toa and opted for a brisk morning perimeter walk. She gently waved her head back and forth looking at the terrain as she passed it. The rocky cliff that the Toa had now made their base of operations was quite secure from an attack, but none of them felt that caution was unnecessary. She happened to glance up as Kopaka emerged from the cave, squinting in the brightening sky. He looked down at her, gently lifted his sword to acknowledge her, and jumped down to the ground below.

Gali had been surprised by Kopaka's attitude lately. His cold exterior had appeared more civilized in the last few days. It was both wonderful and terrible at the same time. Every time she saw that Kopaka was becoming warmer it reminded her that Mata Nui was changing whether she wanted it to or not. Still, his newfound optimistic manner was a wonderful change. Kopaka began approaching as he mounted his sword and shield on his back.

"The skies are bright again Gali, perhaps these Bohrok do not bother you as much as I had thought."

"I can never forget what they are doing to the island and it troubles me greatly. However, allowing my spirits to be defeated with everything the Bohrok destroy will only make matters worse. We saw yesterday what anger can do to a calm mind."

"Lewa is hardly a calm mind, he is irrational and immature. He lacks the discipline necessary to fight this war."

"Nevertheless, he does not lose his temper like that. Even Tahu has never lashed out with such aggression. Not even regarding Makuta."

"Tahu has the temper of Kane-Ra, but he is not a fool. He knows how to judge the caliber of his rage. Lewa's logic fails him every time. He must..."

Kopaka and Gali both looked up to see Tahu staring blankly down at them. His eyes seemed enraged through his Hau. Tahu dropped to the ground and walked to Gali and Kopaka. He walked between them and turned his head around to look back at them, "We do not speak of yesterday's events any longer, is this understood?"

Gali tensed and spoke swiftly, "Tahu, we do not blame Lewa, we were merely discussing..."

Tahu's eyes flashed as he snapped his entire structure around to face the two Toa, "Is this understood, or is it necessary for me to repeat myself?"

Kopaka glared at the Toa of fire through his Akaku. He then stated proudly, "He is right, we must be cautious of Lewa's anger, but this event must not linger in our minds."

Gali set her weight back, shocked by Kopaka backing down to Tahu as easily as he had. This exchange truly exemplified how serious the matter truly was. With a nod and half-hearted snort, Tahu proceeded off into the jungle with his sword drawn. Kopaka and Gali glanced at each other, then began to follow Tahu.

In the peaceful days of Mata Nui, a walk through the jungle was a rather peaceful event. There were always dangerous animals to be wary of, but it was generally safe. In these times, the Toa did not let their scrutiny of the surrounding environment degrade at all. Tahu appeared more nervous than he did before facing the Makuta. Kopaka walked at a brisk pace staring straight ahead, acutely aware of the fact that if something were to be seen, his Akaku would find it, including any enemies. Gali wondered whether he was undisturbed by this dangerous trek, or simply being as stubborn as he always was. She stopped walking and listened very carefully. Kopaka and Tahu kept moving forward. She strained herself to listen. With a look of great terror, she shouted to her allies, "Come back, now! Hurry!"

Tahu and Kopaka looked back at her quickly before realizing what she was concerned over. They watched as a huge mass drove itself through the trees and ran into them both. They looked up from underneath a massive claw to see the great head of Muaka. The huge predator stared down at them as he primitively calculated their strength. Tahu stared back at the monstrous beast's eyes, almost stunned by the creature's truly natural grace as it had attacked them. Truly this was a beautiful animal worthy of its hunt, "It is a terrible shame that I will be forced to remove you from Mata Nui."

A great stream of water plowed into the side of the animal, pushing him off of Kopaka and Tahu. Muaka quickly regained his stance and coiled back his powerful neck. Tahu's sword went ablaze as Kopaka drew his sword and shield. Muaka simply stared at them, he did not attack. Tahu's eyes drifted over to Kopaka quickly once, then again. He began looking back between his enemy and his friend, "Kopaka... I do not understand, what is he waiting for?"

Kopaka did not respond.

"Kopaka! What should we do?"

"Silence yourself, Toa!"

Gali had taken a position on Kopaka's side by this time, her hooks readied. Muaka just kept staring. His neck suddenly relaxed as he used his simple tread to drive himself away from the three Toa. The warriors stood, perplexed. Kopaka's eyes never left the spot where Muaka entered the jungle again. Gali and Tahu began to back away, fearful that a trick was involved. Muaka was not a pack hunter, this kind of behavior was unseen from this massive animal. Thinking logically, Kopaka focused his power and created a large wall of pure ice in a ring around their position. As soon as he finished he stood perfectly still, not moving at all. There was no sound except for the gentle rustle of the crowded trees overhead, moving in the gentle wind. The three Toa stood still for several more minutes. Gali's eyes quickly opened as she yelled, "The Bohrok!"

Kopaka snapped his head back and glared at her, "How hard were you hit yesterday, wise one? That was Muaka."

Tahu turned to Gali as she spoke, "I'm glad you noticed, Kopaka, your Akaku does you wonders. We smell of the Bohrok after yesterday, especially Tahu and yourself, you were both tackled and smothered by them!"

Kopaka relaxed his structure as he realized what she was saying. Tahu intervened, "Muaka, perhaps the greatest of the Rahi, is afraid of the Bohrok?"

Kopaka looked at him as a master looks at an apprentice, "Maybe not afraid, but he certainly feels that he is no match for them."

"These Bohrok are far more powerful than we could ever have imagined."

"If the great Muaka is retreating from these creatures, I do not wish to find his reasoning at the moment," Tahu wisely stated.

The Toa left the area as quickly as possible, Kopaka never taking his vision from the startled hunter standing in the small clearing.

The jungle hides everything that wishes to remain unseen. Muaka is not a foolish creature. Sensing the need for retreat was necessary and he proceeded to do so. The smell of the Bohrok was overwhelming. Although those creatures did not look like Bohrok to him, he trusted his primal instincts and retreated. Shame was not an emotion the mighty Muaka was familiar with, nor the Bohrok. Muaka now lay silent on the jungle floor, listening for the creatures. He waited a long time before raising himself and continuing his hunt for food. His search remained fruitless for several hours as he roamed through the jungle. His hunger was beginning to tear him apart. Then his ears perked at a noise in the distance, a familiar chirping sound echoed through the dense jungle.

A single call bellowed throughout the air, followed by a few meager responses. Soon there was not one source, but many creatures communicating. Their efforts were quickly becoming coordinated and focused. The Bohrok were coming. Muaka tried to flee, but his hunger weakened him. He kept moving forward, however, trying to avoid the noise. It came to the point where he exhausted himself. He stopped pushing himself and sat down. He heard the chirping all around him in a matter of minutes. The Bohrok were apparently hungry as well.

Muaka listened, his ears twitching constantly, trying to focus on the closest creature. There were so many that he couldn't distinguish one from another. His sense of smell was overwhelmed with the flavorful musk of Bohrok. If his brain could assign them the names that the prophecies had given them, he would have recognized Gahlok, Pahrak, and Nuhvok. Muaka began to tense his structure. He wasn't prepared to defend himself in this state. He was weak, he was hungry, and he had been moving at a fairly quick pace for some time now. He was in a small clearing of the trees, where he could see any attacks coming. A light rustle in the brush pulled Muaka's attention to the side. He watched a Nuhvok roll out as a large ball. It stopped and began to extend its appendages. Muaka watched curiously until it began to sprint towards him. Muaka acted on complete instinct and used his great neck to snatch up the creature and swiftly end its life. He shook his head back and forth to make sure it was dead. When he finished, he threw it to the ground in front of him and began to eat cautiously. He still ate as he watched several other Bohrok emerge from the surrounding foliage. His hunger demanded he keep eating. Another charged him, a Pahrak. Muaka used his powerful claw to swipe the creature away, hitting it so hard the creature was either dead or totally paralyzed from the impact. He continued eating in a peaceful manner, making sure not to show fear, the prime reason Muaka himself would attack without mercy. Another Nuhvok charged him and had its body shattered into dozens of pieces. Muaka began to eat from the fresh carcass. His strength was already returning, perhaps the Bohrok had made a mistake this time. Muaka's animalistic hope was crushed as every Bohrok in the vicinity charged him. He trashed about the huge swarm of creatures, roaring as he killed half a dozen with each swipe of his powerful claws. The Bohrok kept coming despite his efforts. The swarm sensed no true threat from the massive animal. Muaka began to lose his coordination as the Bohrok overcame him. He soon found himself simply swiping his claws at empty air, completely missing any targets. With a sudden burst of pain emanating from his hindquarters, he gave into the pain and fatigue and collapsed. The Bohrok quickly backed away as the giant creature fell hard to the ground. Muaka's eyes opened after the impact and he watched as the Bohrok slowly began to approach again. An empty glaze filled his eyes, his body becoming numb. The outside world began to fade away, all worries of food, drink, and shelter disappearing. The last thing he saw was the head of a Gahlok lunging towards his head with extreme speed and detailed precision as his eyesight faded into blackness.


	3. Pohatu and Onua

Chapter 3 – Pohatu and Onua

Pohatu emerged from the cave and stood in the midmorning sun. The day appeared to bring fresh hope to their battle. He had watched Tahu leave into the jungle with Kopaka and Gali, curious as to their destination, but not concerned. Calling upon the Akaku, he watched the Toa wander away for quite a distance. When they were beyond even the great mask's range, he switched to the elegant Kakama. Today was a good day for Koli ball. His attitude soured upon realizing no other Toa would play with him. He wished they would simply try and release their minds for some time and not worry about the Bohrok, it only brought more tension to the situation. He dropped to the ground below and began walking around in search of a satisfactory rock to form into a Koli ball. He found a well rounded, smooth rock that was just about the perfect size. With some finishing touches, using the great speed of the Kakama, Pohatu created a Koli ball worthy of mention in the legends. The Toa of Stone quickly thought back to a rule that had recently been established in Po-Koro. The rule stated that no Matoran may use a Koli ball formed by Pohatu himself, it gave that player an advantage over the others. Pohatu smiled and looked upon his marvelous creation. He began to bounce the ball up and down, using his powerful legs and broad shoulders. Occasionally he would use his head to set the ball for a spectacular upward punt. He watched it come down and land right in the nook formed by his foot and leg. Regretfully, Pohatu said, "Today, nor any day is a good day for Koli. Not until the Bohrok are removed from this island, permanently!"

Pohatu let out a great sigh as he changed his mask to the Pakari. He backed up a few feet and stared at his ball. He looked out to the horizon, seeing the great sea stretch out to infinite borders. He looked back down to his ball and ran towards it. His foot made perfect contact, sending the ball soaring towards the sun which rested gently above the horizon.

"Pohatu, do not worry," Onua said, surprising Pohatu, "the day for Koli will be upon us soon. The villagers of Po-Koro will all challenge you to a match, the way they often do. Every one of them will attempt to beat you and score their goals, but as always, you will come out the victor! You will agree to play several players all on one team against only yourself. You will still win, and the villagers love you for it. Do not give up hope, my friend. The day you give up hope is the day I fear Mata Nui may never be healed."

"Onua, there's so much we could do. We could find where these creatures are coming from and stop them once and for all. Let us find this place, I will gather all the Matoran, they will be eager to fight! We will conquer the Bohrok once and for..."

"We do not worry about such matters until the time comes."

"When do we know when the time has arrived?"

"I already have."

Pohatu and Onua turned to see Lewa walking towards them, his ax finally returned to him. He walked to a rocky cliff and looked out at the sea as Pohatu had, "I will make Tahu understand what we must do. I will not sit here allowing my skills to degrade any longer, the time for honor and avoidance of confrontation is over. All that remains is blade of my ax now, the claws of you, Onua, and the strength held in those feet of yours, Toa of Stone. Rest assured, I am not afraid to inform the Bohrok that this is my decision."

"So impatient, Lewa. You must learn to control your spirit before you truly find yourself in jeopardy. We will not always be there to help you out. Your foolish endeavor to conquer our enemies by yourself will be the end of you if you do not listen to your friends."

"Friends, Onua? My friends have stripped my ax from my hands, like a punishment, and what for, for destroying the Bohrok? I am punished for destroying the same vile creatures that have destroyed entire plains of once beautiful land? The same creatures that insist on attacking the villages we care for? Are they not the same creatures, Onua? Yet I am punished for striking out against them."

"You are punished for your lack of control in a situation that could have endangered Tahu and Gali's lives. Your lust for battle could have led to greater harm. That is why you are punished."

"You now side with them, Onua? You do not even attempt to defend my actions yesterday? Can you not see that I lust for no battle? I want peace as much as you, but am I the only one willing to do what it takes to aquire that peace?"

"You mercilessly slaughtered them, even when they attempted to retreat. This is not the way of the warrior, it is the way of a demon."

"A demon, Onua? You now compare me to these creatures, a cold, hard creature with no remorse or emotion? You compare me to the Makuta we defeated so long ago? Very well, Toa of Earth. I do not need you or the others."

Before Onua was able to stop Lewa, he used his Miru to launch from the rocky cliff, gliding down to the huge jungle below. Pohatu got up and again kicked a rock as hard as he could. Onua looked at the Toa of Stone and hung his head. Pohatu was becoming frustrated with their situation, but it was Pohatu whom normally kept the spirits of the other five hardy. Onua looked up at the brightening sun, "Come, Pohatu," he said, as his mask changed to the Akaku, "we have a Toa to find." He smiled broadly behind his mask, "You know I require your vision on a day as bright as today."

Tahu watched Kopaka's confidant stride a few paces in front of him. He turned to Gali and said loudly, "I see our hero is quite pleased with himself for saving our lives with his wall of ice."

As Kopaka slowly turned his head, he contracted his eyes and grunted before he replied, "Perhaps the Bohrok seek a bedfellow in their final resting place."

Gali held herself steady before letting out a monstrous laugh. Tahu stood straight and tall as Kopaka's eyes went wide in surprise at the Toa of Water. Laughter was a sound the Toa had not heard for many months. The impact of it left the other Toa wondering what to do. For a brief moment, only a moment, the most serious of the Toa felt the urge to laugh. For this brief moment, their spirits were lightened, the Bohrok, Mata Nui's troubles, all of it was forgotten. For the first time since their arrival on the island, life was no longer a burden. The moment was ruined by the Pahrak Va that ran out from the foliage and stared at the Toa. All three of the heroes turned to the little creature, fully aware there was no threat. Kopaka drew his sword in seemingly perfect unison with Tahu, nonetheless. The tiny courier for the swarms cocked its head, made a slight squawking noise, and darted into the foliage. Tahu chuckled lightly, "I have been in the mood for a game of tag."

He sprinted off following the creature into the jungle. Kopaka was right behind him, with Gali back a short distance. All three Toa ran with incredible speed, none surpassing the others in true skill. Gali managed to dodge the trees without effort, using her gifted abilities to avoid all obstacles. Kopaka wasn't as coordinated as Gali, but managed to maneuver from harm's way several times. Tahu simply used his sword, fueled by his mechanized adrenaline, to hack through the dense jungle. He had switched his mask to the Akaku, as had Gali. They used the mask's power to filter out the things they need not worry about seeing, it made it far easier to focus on the fleeing Pahrak Va. This creature happened to be the slowest of the Va species, reminding the Toa of their ironic relation to these creatures as they thought of Pohatu's own slowness. Its lack of speed enabled the Toa to catch up to the creature and grab it from the ground. Tahu stared at it with the ferocity of a Mana as he held it far enough so its swinging hammer could not reach him. Kopaka walked up and took the hammer from the little creature, throwing it the ground. Tahu set it down as Kopaka used his power to seal the creature to the ground with a small mound of ice. Gali looked at the Va and then back to Tahu, "What do we do with this little one, Tahu?"

Tahu thought back to Lewa's vicious attack on the Bohrok the day before. He almost wished that rage had come over him. Slaughtering the Bohrok would have given him the satisfaction he kept looking for every time they encountered the Bohrok. He now realized that using his sword to remove the head of this small being would give him that satisfaction. Yet he controlled his desire and said, "We find out where he was going."

"Then it was excellent of you to stop him from proceeding to his destination, Tahu. Good work," Kopaka spoke sarcastically.

"If you have something to add I will listen only when I ask for it, Kopaka! Do not let the frozen gears in your head allow you to think you can challenge me," Tahu shouted. He yelled so loud the cowering Pahrak Va ducked down to cover its head.

Gali interjected, "The Va are not the problem we need to address, we must find the swarm he was going to report to."

"We do not even know where we are, Tahu has lost us in this jungle."

"We have the masks Kopaka, it will not be hard to find our way out from this place."

Their argument was cut short by a loud chirping noise off in the distance. All the Toa became silent as the captured Va began to squawk back at the noise. After several short calls, the Va became silent. The calls of the approaching swarm were replaced by the ambience of wind. Trees in the far distance began to crack and tumble to the ground, the sound of their impacts bellowing through the jungle. Kopaka brought his blade to a defensive position, "We don't have much time."

Lewa leaped gracefully from tree to tree, half-heartedly using his Miru. His natural abilities had become so developed he rarely needed it for this activity any longer. If he stumbled, he often called upon a strong burst of wind to gently scoop him to safety rather than use the power of the mask. By developing this technique, Lewa learned to move using his Kakama instead of the Miru. He had increased his rate of travel exponentially. Now he crouched, unmoving, listening to a loud chirping noise in the distance. The noise was unfamiliar to him, "The day is still too early for the Kahu to be singing."

The Toa of Air let out a desperate gasp as the chirping quickly evolved into the clicking noise he was far more familiar with. He stood tall as his mask morphed into a Miru, "This ends with my ax, not Gali's knowledge, not with Pohatu's good nature, and certainly not by Tahu's criticisms mind. It ends the only way it can! Fast!"

The Toa watched as the Bohrok swarm emerged from the dense fog that had risen in the early morning sun. Tahu prepared himself for what would be a great battle, his senses already amplied from the adrenaline rush he was experiencing. He prepared to charge the Bohrok before noticing a gigantic, dark shape rushing towards them. It was too big to be a Bohrok, yet this creature was moving just as fast as one.

Kopaka, already aware of what was charging them, smiled. Ice is cold, but not as cold as the emotions of Kopaka, a smile from the warrior demanded a pleasing sight. The Toa watched the monstrous Muaka emerge from the jungle and let out a monstrous roar.

"This is not the Muaka we encountered, it is much larger," Gali said.

Kopaka now realized that this was truly not the Muaka they had seen on the path earlier. This was very different. This was a female Muaka. Tahu spoke, "It has tracked us?"

"She isn't here for us."

"Then what is she here for, wise one?" Tahu asked with his arms in the air.

Gali was displeased to realize she did not know the answer Tahu seeked, although sarcastically. Her mind raced between ideas until the Muaka began to advance.

Towards the Bohrok.

"She's here for exactly the Bohrok. I would not think it likely, but this Muaka has come to avenge the other. Lewa attacked without any thought to his well being when he saw you in trouble, Tahu. We share much with the 'unevolved' animals of this island."

Kopaka looked to Gali and said, "I doubt this creature has the capacity to feel the need fore vengeance. What would drive it to attack the swarm? The hunt? Hunger?"

"Food would never motivate an animal to attack the Bohrok... but the death of a mate would."

Tahu and Kopaka looked at Gali, understanding her implication. Although they understood little of the practice of bonding eternally with another creature, the Toa felt the pain of this poor Muaka. Its loss would be a great disease in its mind, and it hurt the Toa to see a creature of the island hurt by the Bohrok. This Muaka was no different than any Matoran the Toa were sent to protect, except this Matoran was three times the size of a Toa and quite capable of supporting itself in battle. Their thoughts drifted to battle when a call came from the trees, "Anybody ask for a miracle? Because I think..." a great figure rammed into one of the lead Bohrok, driving it into the ground and releasing its precious Krana, "...that you just got one."

Even Tahu was pleased to see the Toa of Air's arrival, though he did not allow others to see it. Another voice called out as a giant rock drove itself into another of the Bohrok and split into pieces no larger than granules of sand. Pohatu's spoke, "Let us offer Muaka a taste of justice that she may not be able to provide by herself."

The Toa arranged themselves in line and watched as the Bohrok stared at them and at Muaka. The Bohrok were not known to make the first move when dealing with a great number of enemies. Every species was now present, which pleased Tahu as he drew up his sword and stated, "For every minute this poor Muaka has suffered, I will dispatch three of you!"

Kopaka silently brought his sword parallel to the ground quickly as a great blue beam emerged from its tip. The beam hit several Bohrok, freezing them in a great case of ice. Kopaka drew back his sword and spoke to Pohatu, "May the great Toa of Stone have the first honors of the day."

Pohatu nodded to Kopaka before his eyes became as angry as any of the Toa had ever seen. His harsh and jagged movements warned the Toa of great rage surfacing. Pohatu dug his foot into the ground and pulled out a large mass of rock. He set it in front of himself, looked at the Bohrok, and kicked with all his might. The rock hurtled towards the block of ice, shattering it and everything in it upon contact. The Bohrok charged and were met by an instinctive anger as Muaka drove her claws into Bohrok after Bohrok. Blasts of wind, rain and rock fell upon the Bohrok while fires went ablaze, and masses of Bohrok became frozen. The elemental powers of the Toa were at their peak. The fighters all stood proud, but none fought quite as well or as with as much spirit as the Toa of Stone.

As the swarm kept charging the Toa and their new enemy, Muaka, a Bohrok near the tail of the swarm fell hard. Another in front of that fell quickly after. Then another. Then another. A trail of Bohrok collapsing began to creep up to the front of the swarm. The Bohrok looked among themselves for the answer. As their confusion grew, more and more began to collapse and fail to get back up. The answer came as the creatures received a view of a black claw sticking up from the ground. A Gahlok was grabbed and quickly pulled to the ground, destroying its legs. A large explosion from within the ground lifted dust into the air. As the dust cleared, Onua stood. His finger extended, he informed the Bohrok, "You will not live to see another day."

Pohatu, energized by the Toa of Earth's entrance, threw himself upon every Bohrok, kicking various parts off their bodies in every direction. He quickly punted each Bohrok that charged him, one by one. His mask morphed into the Akaku to allow him the best vision possible.

Gali heard Onua request her to flood his position with a stream of water, she wondered what his plan was, but did not question the Toa's judgment, he had already demonstrated on many occasions that he knew what he was doing. Gali heard him yell to begin, and she did.

Onua's mask was that of the Kaukau and he stood just beyond a great hole he had just formed. Several Bohrok leaped over the hole to attack him, but he threw them in, one by one, the water now poured into the hole, filling it quickly. Onua jumped in and swam past the struggling Bohrok. He saw several Gahlok break off to attempt to follow him. His true adversaries were coming now. He began to tunnel as fast as he could, praying that the mask was as great as Gali would brag. His faith in the power of their mission kept him working as well as he could.

The Toa did not see Onua for several minutes, still fighting off as many Bohrok as possible. Kopaka realized what Onua was doing and he had now sealed the hole with a sheet of thick ice. Only Muaka herself could break threw it, but her matters were elsewhere. He glanced to her as she pounded her claws into each Bohrok that dared to defy her might. Occasionally her jaws would snap forward while still swiping with her claws and grab a distance attacker. Limp Bohrok bodies flew from the enraged Muaka.

Several minutes of fierce battle raged as the Toa fought bravely alongside their new ally. Onua then reemerged from the underground and quickly called out, "Flood that hole and herd all the Bohrok into it! Now!"

Tahu reacted to Kopaka's order to melt the ice as quickly as possible, scorching nearby Bohrok in the process. The hole was now open and Gali's claws began to glow a bright blue tone as she prepared herself. Her head went back and came forward with the Miru on. She launched herself into the air and proceeded to flood the Bohrok into the hole. The other Toa used their elemental powers to herd them towards Gali's powerful blast. To stop the approaching Muaka, Kopaka averted his sword and froze the great animal in its place, roaring in defiance at this action. It didn't take long for all the Bohrok to be swept into the hole. Onua had cleverly dug a tunnel, in the midst of fending off Gahlok, that lead directly to the end of a large cliff. The Toa ran to the edge of the cliff and watched the water pour out of the massive hole. They saw dozens of Bohrok fall to what would most likely be their doom. When the last Bohrok fell, the Toa returned back to the roaring Muaka. Upon seeing them, the animal fell silent and glared directly at them. It made no motions, but merely watched them.

"This creature is far brighter than we give it credit for. It knows we did not kill its mate," Lewa said.

Gali responded, "Or it sees us as the next threat to eliminate."

Tahu spoke loudly, "I'm surprised you have managed to restrain yourself from eliminating a defenseless animal, Lewa."

The Toa of Air fell silent and grew angrier as he remembered the previous day with Tahu. He drew his ax up and charged the Toa of Fire. Unprepared, Tahu drew back before seeing the light gray arm swing in front of Lewa. Kopaka struck him straight on the chest. He spoke, "Control your anger Lewa, never attack a comrade. Tahu, I would strike you myself if I found it worthy of the effort necessary."

No Toa spoke, but the sudden movement had startled Muaka, who now clawed at the restraining ice beneath her. Lewa picked himself up from the ground, gently rubbing his throbbing chest. Kopaka had used virtually no force on him, he merely used his arm to stop him. Realizing the power behind his own charge at Tahu, the Toa of Air was pleased with himself.

Pohatu looked upon his allies and scoffed, "Have you no respect for each other? Do none of you see what the real problem even is? Do any of you even know the Bohrok exist when you squabble like this? I have never been less proud to be a Toa than this moment."

Even Tahu, humbled by what Pohatu had stated, did not say anything in response. He let no physical sign of his anger leak from his structure. Tahu knew that Pohatu was right and he despised it. The petty bickering that had divided the six was going to be their weakest point. The ability to work together had proven to be a great weapon. They found proof when the Manas attacked and from the final confrontation with the Makuta. Mata Nui would not be safe until they could work together. Tahu looked to Pohatu and said, "You have the natural grace of a good friend, Pohatu. We will make you proud to be a Toa again." He turned to Lewa and said gently, "Toa of Air, come with me, we will no longer allow these arguments to continue. I will not stand for it any longer."

Kopaka, ignoring the sentiment of the gesture, spoke to Tahu and Lewa collectively, "Give me your weapons."

"Kopaka, Lewa and I will not battle this time, we must learn to..."

"Do it." The voice of Onua was dark and powerful. "Now."

They gave no more resistance and surrendered their weapons to Kopaka. They all split to go about the rest of their day. Tahu and Lewa used their Mirus to fly into the trees and disappear. Kopaka, Gali, Pohatu and Onua decided to go back to their makeshift home. Almost forgetting, Kopaka turned around and walked towards the struggling Muaka. He approached her from the behind, as to avoid the long, powerful neck. He slashed on the ice with his sword as he changed his mask to the Kakama. Before Muaka realized the icy prison beneath her feet had shattered into billions of pieces, the Toa of Ice was already gone.

Pohatu sat on the rocky ledge as Onua joined him after some time alone. They looked over the ocean for some time before Onua finally broke the cold silence, "You've done well today, Pohatu. I did not think it was possible but you have crumbled Tahu's powerful stubbornness. Even the wise Gali has not been able to achieve such a feat."

Pohatu did not respond. Onua continued, "Whether or not you are, Pohatu, I think all of your friends are proud to be Toa today. We are all proud to be Toa... we are all proud to be your friend."

Onua lifted himself and went back into the cave to patiently await Tahu and Lewa. Pohatu sat on the ledge and looked out at the ocean. Pohatu looked back to confirm Onua's absence. He chuckled at the memory of Tahu's frustrated attitude after Pohatu's outburst. "I've never been ashamed to be a Toa," he said.

Startled by the movement to his side, Pohatu quickly glanced at Gali, standing a few paces away. She smiled at him and whispered, "Well done, Toa of Stone. Perhaps I will rethink my personal policies on fibbing."

Pohatu smiled back and continued staring at the setting sun.


	4. Chambers and Questions

Chapter 4 – Chambers and Questions

It had been several days since the Toa battled the massive swarm of Bohrok alongside Muaka. Despite their efforts, Tahu and Lewa had become only more untrusting of one another. Kopaka's somewhat warm side had receded, disappointing Gali a great deal. In turn, Pohatu's positive attitude had returned, comforting the other Toa, especially Onua. The Toa were becoming restless, as there had been no confrontations with any Bohrok or Rahi since their engagement days ago. They had decided to remain away from the villages, as the Toa were beginning to suspect that there was a strategy involved when they kept encountering the Bohrok. Mata Nui being such a massive island, it was hard to imagine that the Bohrok simply happened to be in the vicinity of the Toa so often. The Turaga of the six villages had managed to coordinate their villagers into creating a very organized system of defense. With the aid of several tamed Rahi, the villages were quite well protected without any need of help from the Toa. This left the Toa to find out where these Bohrok were coming from, and hopefully, how to stop them.

As the sun rose on another glorious day for Mata Nui, the Toa were pleased to see a Matoran approaching their cave. Three other Matoran accompanied him; they all appeared to be Ga-Matoran. Gali walked to them and said, "How can we help you gentlemen?"

Lewa interrupted, "Gentlemen? Gali, I was under the impression that all Ga-Koronans were inherently female. Like you and Nokama."

"Lewa, your tiny mind is clouded with adventure and the lust for battle. Think logically and you will realize that is not so, and if you cannot comprehend the meaning there, simply look here. There are three male Ga-Matoran standing before you."

Kopaka watched and smiled gently. The Matoran began to speak to Gali, "Brave Toa, the Matoran of Onu-Koro have found something that Whenua wishes you to see. We were the closest to your position and volunteered to deliver the message."

"What did they find?" Tahu asked.

"A system of tunnels they were unaware of. A wall was broken into one of the tunnels a few days ago. However, when some of the Onu-Matoran scouts went in, only two of the five returned. The surviving two rambled on about 'how fast they were' and 'they came out of nowhere'. At that point, they passed out and have not awakened yet. Whenua said they will live, but he is very worried about what was in those tunnels. He has respectfully asked that you accompany a team of Onu-Matoran scouts and find out where those tunnels lead."

Onua spoke swiftly, "He wishes to continue exploration after such an event? That is a foolhardy mission."

"Sounds like fun!" Pohatu exclaimed.

"I would expect such talk from Lewa," Tahu said, "not you."

Lewa did not move any part of his structure, he simply looked at the Matoran, who were now looking at him as if waiting for his usual sarcastic response. Lewa stated, "If none of you will go, I will."

With those words, Lewa launched himself from the ground and began to glide in the direction of Onu-Koro. Kopaka switched his mask to the Miru. He also glided away from the cave and followed the Toa of Air.

Pohatu looked at the other three Toa and said quietly, "I wonder if they knew there was a nice path through all of this jungle right to Onu-Koro..."

He used his Kakama and bolted off into the jungle, using the path he spoke of. Tahu and Onua also switched to their Kakamas and followed Pohatu. Gali looked back to the Matoran and asked, "Will you be safe on the return journey?"

"We will be fine, Toa of Water. Please go with your comrades and do not concern yourself with us. The Onu-Matoran need your help now."

Gali nodded in regard to their noble attitude and switched to her Kakama. She darted off into the jungle, following the Toa to their ultimate destination.

Caves have the well deserved reputation of being cold, damp, and often frightening. The caves of Mata Nyui were no exception.

"These walls have probably not been lit for ages," Gali said.

"I shall have to frequent this place more often then," Tahu responded, his large sword lighting the tunnels for several bios.

"Keep quiet, your masks may protect you in danger, but with all their power, they still cannot tell you when to silence yourselves." The voice of the Toa if Ice was raspy as he whispered loudly.

The Toa remained silent as they continued down the path. They walked several paces before arriving at a junction. "Left," Onua said, "Go left."

They went down the left tunnel, which seemed far darker than the right did. After walking several minutes they arrived in a vast opening filled with lights and huts. Several Matoran ran about, fulfilling pointless tasks to cease their own boredom if anything. The mines had been shut down temporarily since the incident in the tunnel and many of the Matoran found a casual life style to be boring and uneventful. Many rode on Ussel crabs, grasping for some sense of entertainment. Many others simply slept in their huts, waiting for the mines to open again. Onua pointed to a hut far larger than the others and the Toa walked to it. They walked beyond the small trade bazaar, virtually empty since the Bohrok had made their presence known. Even in the presence of Makuta's evil, the trades still flowed uninhibited. Now there was little point in keeping a free economy running. Any Matoran, save the children and the elderly, worked in the mines or joined the Onu-Koronan guard. It had been this way for many of the villages. Young Matoran went off to fight battles when they had barely seen the light of day beyond their villages. Most came back, but occasionally, the sad report of casualties would flow in. The reality would strike the villagers many days later that their loved ones were not coming back.

Le-Koro had been hit the hardest. The Bohrok quickly learned to scale trees or find other means of getting onto the treetop village. The village was safe for now, as many defenses had been installed to stop any Bohrok from gaining height above the midline of the trees. But the village had never faced a full swarm yet. They faced only twenty or so Bohrok at a time. Matau worried constantly, trying to figure out if a large mass attack on his village would end in only death and destruction. They had heard of the Bohrok attempting to launch their Krana at the Toa, but never at a Matoran. The Bohrok saw little point in obtaining any Matoran for their great army. All the unfortunate Matoran who met with the Bohrok undefended usually met a quick demise. Their lives stripped away in mere seconds by a creature twice their size with many times their strength. The villagers of Le-Koro had lost many comrades, partners, and family due to the Bohrok already. They knew that eventually their defenses would fall and the village would be ravaged. Matau had already begun planning for evacuation. He had asked Onua to come and dig them a great tunnel to escape with. Onua came with thirty Onu-Koronan diggers. They quickly tunneled out a great escape path through the fertile Earth. The tunnel led to a safe spot where the Bohrok would never be able to reach. It was accessible only from the treetops and one undisclosed location on the ground. Only Matau and a select few of the Le-Matoran knew of this entrance on the ground. The next step was to let all the animals that the Le-Matoran had tamed go free. Matau refused to put the innocent creatures in any harm's way. He knew the attack would come soon, it was only a question of when.

Onu-Koro had not felt such damages. Their network of complicated tunnels confused the Bohrok. In fact, only three Bohrok had ever penetrated the village. They were quickly dispatched by the defenses set up by the Matoran. However, recently, the ground below their village had begun to hum with all kinds of noise. Small tremors would ripple through the village floor every now and again. That is why Whenua had sent some scouts into some tunnels. He needed to find out what exactly was going on down there. He now regretted sending only a few Matoran and wished he had sent a hundred. No innocent lives would have been lost that day if he had sent the proper protective force for the scouts. He looked up as the six Toa entered his hut, none of them speaking to him, just looking at him, sensing his frustrations.

"Turaga Whenua," Onua finally spoke, "We come to aid you in whatever way you desire."

Whenua smiled blankly through his mask and said, "Thank you for accepting my plea, my friends. Onu-Koro is troubled greatly by this loss, I am afraid to send any more scouts, I don't know what is down there."

"Don't worry, the Toa can handle some measly Bohrok," Pohatu said in a mocking tone.

Lewa nudged him with his arm and shook his head gently to imply a very serious 'no' to the Toa of Stone. Tahu looked at this act and felt a sense of respect for Lewa, but it did not last long. Lewa made slight eye contact with Tahu before the Toa of Fire turned his head back to Whenua. Lewa felt angry again, but forced his emotions into submission for the time. He had become increasingly more irritated by Tahu's attitude towards him. He longed for the day when Tahu would accept his skill as a fighter. His mind ached thinking about what he would say when Tahu was forced to accept that Lewa was an integral part of the team.

"Whenua, we will not brave those tunnels, however, we will remain here until the danger has subsided," Tahu said.

The Turaga of Onu-Koro stared blankly at him until Lewa interrupted, "What did you say, Tahu?"

"We remain here, we do not venture in tunnels of such danger."

The other Toa looked at Tahu, surprised by his decision. Kopaka stood perfectly still, he began to speak when Lewa said sternly, "Are you a coward?"

"A coward, Lewa? You dare to call me a coward?"

"There could be something down there that must be stopped. Those Matoran could be down there right now! How dare you turn your back on them like this!"

"There is no chance of their survival, they are dead, Lewa. Accept it before you suffer the same fate."

"I accept nothing! They could be down there, but you wish to remain here!"

Tahu looked to Kopaka, who would normally stop an argument of this nature, but he did nothing. The Toa of Ice stood still, his eyes glazed over, but never switching his gaze from Tahu. Tahu turned back to Lewa and said, "It is too late, Lewa. Open your mind and stop acting like an idiotic fool. You must eventually learn to grip a sense of reality."

Lewa stood still, unmoving. Tahu's eyes glanced away to the other Toa only for a moment, but it was all Lewa needed. The Toa of Air lunged straight at the Toa of Fire and pulled his ax high above his shoulder. His unmeasureable strength brought the ax down quickly and with great power. The tip of the blade stopped only nanobios from Tahu's surprised face.

Kopaka looked at the approaching Matoran and yelled, "No! They finish this, now."

Whenua protested, but Kopaka insisted, drawing his blade in case it became necessary. The two Toa now stood glaring at each other, neither moving at all. After some time, Lewa retracted his ax and said coldly to Tahu, "I listen to you no more."

A deep rumbled began to sound throughout thecavern. Walls began to shake and small structures on the floor of the village began to crumble from the vibrations.

Every other being in the giant cavern began to scatter as the rumble got louder. It was the precise moment that Lewa took his eyes from Tahu that he felt a great voice boom inside his head. He couldn't make out the words, they were jumbled and hurried. He yelled to Kopaka expecting a response, but the rumble was too loud to hear anything else already. The voice came again, clearer this time, allowing the Toa of Air to comprehend it, "Intruders..."

Tahu stood still alongside the Toa. He glanced to his sides and saw the same confusion he was feeling at the time. Every other Toa had heard it too. The voice came again, "Trespassers..."

The rumbling suddenly stopped. The Toa all looked straight at the South wall, not moving at all from their defensive stance. The Matoran had all gathered weapons, some with strange looking mechanical suits that allowed them to stand slightly taller. Onua looked to Whenua, who responded quickly, "We use the suits for digging in hard rock. Lately a few of our engineers have been trying to adapt them to give us a tactical weapon. So far we've had very poor luck, but one of our engineers is very hopeful and expects some results soon."

Onua looked back to the suits as a Matoran smiled at him. Onua smiled back and asked, "You maintain your cheer even in the eye of danger?"

The Matoran chuckled and said, "If I cannot maintain my cheer in times of great darkness, what good is it to any of us?"

Onua nodded, astounded with the tiny villager's wonderful sense of life. He looked back to the wall and smiled himself. A smile that made him feel better, but was interrupted quickly by the voice in his head that said, "You do not belong..."

The noise began again as the entire wall burst open. Rock crumbled to the ground, shattered by the feet of hundreds of Nuhvok forcing themselves into the great cavern. Before the reality of the situation could set itself in the heads of the villagers and even the Toa, the Matoran were already rushing against the Nuhvok. Blasts of red and blue beams rippled through the approaching swarm as the Toa began using their finely tuned elemental skills. Rocks rose up from the floor like birds as Onua watched intently as the Nuhvok stormed his village. Pohatu kicked every rock in sight, crushing any Nuhvok unfortunate enough to be in the path of one. Lewa swung his ax at every creature that came near him, spilling Krana everywhere.

The battle lasted for several minutes before the voice returned in the Toa's heads, "Intruders... intruders..."

The Nuhvok all began to fall back. They retreated a few paces before turning completely around and barreling back into the tunnels from which they came. When the last Nuhvok had vanished, Onua summoned all his strength and smashed his great hands into the ground below. A giant wall of thick, sharp rock forced itself from the ground and wedged itself into the ceiling, effectively plugging the hole made by the Nuhvok.

The Toa looked around with the Matoran, noting the damage taken. All appeared to be well until a Matoran near what was the front line called out, "Help! Help, he's hurt very badly!"

Whenua and Onua rushed to the little warrior and knew he would not survive the moment they saw him. The Matoran's arm had been savagely ripped off as a thick stream of black ooze flowed from his shoulder. He began to go limp as Onua picked him up and was horrified by what he realized. The little Matoran took off his mask and smiled at the Toa of Earth. Onua asked, "Still you smile, little Matoran?"

"Onua... if I can't be happy in times of danger," he coughed and smiled again, "I am no good to anyone, not even myself."

Onua took his mask off and stared with the eyes of a father down at the little Matoran. He carefully nestled the comparatively tiny creature in his strong arms and carried him to the hut Whenua informed him was his. The little Matoran was laid on his bed and looked back to Onua and shut his eyes. Onua sat in the hut and just stared at the little villager.

It was about thirty minutes later before Onua emerged from the hut. The Matoran had already picked up the majority of the remains of the Bohrok and were throwing them in a great pile. Others were gathering dropped weapons and masks and collecting them for the villagers that had lost them. Pohatu was watching a Matoran who stared intently at the pile of Bohrok remains. His body was all black with gray legs, and a bright orange Pakari he wore made him stand out from the others. His hands were busy scribbling notes into a pad.

Pohatu quickly turned as he saw Onua emerge. The activity in the room completely ceased. Every creature stared at Onua as he spoke softly in a deep, angry voice, "I'm leaving."

Onua walked quickly to the tunnels Whenua had shown him to be the one where the villagers were lost. He stopped before entering the tunnel and looked at the wall next to the entrance. He held up Ruka's mask and slammed it into the wall. He removed his hand and looked at the mask that now hung in the carved out impression as a tribute to the little Matoran. He began to walk into the tunnel again, his mask changing to the Akaku to ease his vision. He turned around as a voice called out to him, "Onua, I cannot go with you. I have received report that my village is under a great attack. I must go."

Onua heard Pohatu as the Toa of Stone used his Kakama to dash out of the cavern and head towards his village. The other Toa nodded to Onua, letting him know they would follow. The four remaining Toa all wore their Akakus and began to enter the dark tunnel. A voice called out, "Wait!"

The Toa turned around as Tahu barked out sternly, "What?"

"I wish to accompany you."

"You?" Kopaka asked, "Go home, little one."

"I fight to defend Mata Nui! I seek no glory or pride. Ruka was my friend. Onua has hung his mask as a memorial to him, I will go to the next level with you!"

"Come from the shadows, villager."

A Ga-Matoran emerged from the mass of villagers and took a stance a few paces from the great heroes. "I want to go with you."

"This is not a mission of vengeance," Tahu said, intentionally looking away from Onua.

"We go to help the Onu-Matoran," Kopaka added.

"I seek no vengeance, I seek no profit or glory. I merely wish to help. My friend was taken away by this creatures, I wish it to end."

"No," Kopaka said, "There will be no more deaths of Matoran if it can be helped."

"I am coming whether you wish it or not. I will not be silenced."

"State your name, villager. Why do you insist so much?"

"My name is Gakali. Ruka was my dear friend, and his death will not go empty. If I am taken myself in my attempt, so be it. The memory of Ruka will fuel my spirit."

Kopaka stared at the Matoran, her words seemed elegant and practiced. His thoughts reverted to the previous battles with the Bohrok. He looked at Onua, who was staring blankly at the cold ground. Kopaka could see the great sense of grief in Onua's eyes, the turmoil that raged through him would demand that the Bohrok be removed from the island. His thoughts reverted to Pohatu's love for his village and how the Toa of Stone had rushed to help them as it was. He looked to the ground for a moment, thinking. His head snapped upright, his eyes staring directly into the Matoran from Ga-Koro. "She comes."

Tahu protested, "Kopaka, we can not bring any Matoran with us after an attack like..."

"Do not argue with me. I shall strike you down more quickly than any Bohrok. It is this Matoran's fate. She decides her life herself."

"Her presence will add a factor of worry for all of us, especially Gali. It is enough trouble looking out for ourselves, much less a Matoran!"

Kopaka's eyes flashed as he became angry and said, "You will understand the day Ta-Koro is ravaged. You will understand as you look into the eyes of a villager as he or she dies in your helpless hands. You will understand when you feel the rage course through your structure at the thought of the Bohrok existing a day longer. If you wish to disagree, challenge me now. I will not cower."

Tahu fell silent and dropped his head, admitting defeat. He spoke, "Very well Gakali. Do not become a burden to our mission or I will ease the burden myself."

Gakali smiled and said, "Thank you, Tahu. I do not fight for Ruka, I fight for all of Mata Nui.

An Onu-Matoran approached Gakali and handed her a soaking cloth, saying, "This was what we used to bandage Ruka's wound. It will give you his strength."

Gakali held the cloth in her hands and stared at it for a few moments. She then walked over to a small cart and pulled out an ax designed by a very gifted engineer. She walked back to the Toa and said, "Nokama suggested I come and help the Onu-Matoran design a light stream to run through one of the tunnels on their village. This was to be used as my tool for digging, but it now serves a greater purpose."

She tied the cloth around the upper end of the ax and looked at it, handling it gracefully and delicately. Onua lifted his head and stormed down the tunnel. Tahu followed second, using his great sword to light the dark underground. Gali and Kopaka walked with Gakali between them. Kopaka knew that Gali would watch the Matoran very carefully to ensure her safety. Kopaka felt the same responsibility for allowing her to come. Kopaka turned, noticing the lack of their comrade in the tunnels. He saw Lewa standing outside the entrance to the tunnel and said, "Lewa, we must go this way."

"Kopaka, I can not go. Much like poor Pohatu, I fear my village is under siege. The Bohrok have invaded two villages already, I must go to help. They have not been heard from for some time now."

"Very well, my friend. Do you desire a companion?"

"No, he doesn't," Tahu said, "He already has one."

Lewa watched as Tahu took a place behind him to his side. He said, "Lewa, I go with you, for your village!"

Lewa nodded and walked away with Tahu. Kopaka felt a strong sense of worry. Something told him that this journey to Le-Koro would bring great disaster. Yet, his current mission demanded his attention for the time. The remaining three Toa went deeper into the tunnel, with Gali keeping a close eye on Gakali.

Pohatu dashed through the tunnels and broke into the shine of daylight's piercing rays. He squinted and kept moving as fast as his great mask would allow. Even with the mask, it would take some time to arrive at Po-Koro and he was worried about the village's well-being. A strong defense system was never set up at Po-Koro because the villagers had felt they would have more time. They didn't suspect any kind of Bohrok swarm would move upon the village in the middle of the desert. Nevertheless, a great wall would help them. Many Matoran practiced for hours sitting atop the well placed ledge, aiming at set up targets below. If the Bohrok were to attack, they would fall victim to a great rainfall of hard rocks and lethally shaped Koli balls. The great carver Hafu had carved out a wonderful Koli ball with which no Matoran could miss his or her mark. He had given it to his great friend, Huki, as a gift of their friendship. Huki kept the ball in his hut, he was only going to use it for a special occasion. He vowed to use it only in Hafu's honor. So he asked the great carver for another ball, one with which to fight against the Bohrok. Huki said he could never take the great ball Hafu had already made into battle, it was meant for Koli, it would be used for Koli. Huki smiled at the thought of scoring the game's winning goal with Hafu's ball. So Hafu carved him another ball, one with very sharp points, almost forming a kickable mace to dispatch the Bohrok swarms with. When Onewa saw this ball, he asked for Hafu to teach the young carvers to make more. They were going to make weapons unique to Po-Koro's own style of fighting. Hafu did teach the others to make his dangerous ball, which he named 'Asteroid'. He thought of the great Comet balls that were used in Koli and realized his balls were far better and far more deadly. The astronomers of Ga-Koro had often seen asteroids float by millions of mios away. These great rocks were capable of destroying an entire world according to the scholars and scientists of Ko-Koro. So Hafu named the ball Asteroid and announced its use as a weapon against the swarms to his entire village. Huki approached Hafu and said to him, "Now, Hafu, I will not have to use your great Koli ball to defeat Bohrok. I will use it for you and only for you!"

Pohatu raced on, concerned further about his village. He knew of the Asteroid balls, but worried that there were not enough to hold off a mass attack. His fear made him move faster, his motivation was strong. He began to see a large dust cloud on the horizon. Specs of ash and embers rose up from the cloud. Pohatu made the frightening realization of what was occurring. The Tahnok were invading Po-Koro. He switched his mask to the Hau and prepared for battle as he slowly moved in to investigate what damage had been done already.

Tahu and Lewa moved through the now thick jungle foliage. Lewa led the way, being the most knowledgeable on the path to Le-Koro. Neither of them had spoken a word since leaving the caves. Their journey and their mission were far more important than making small talk. Their problems were put aside for now, but their hospitable manners were also set aside. Neither would admit the respect they truly had for one another, which backfired and led to the disastrous attitude each displayed toward the other. Their thoughts echoed back to the cave and how Lewa's fury had overcome Tahu. Their logical thought was interrupted as instinct came over when a pack of Lehvak Va crossed their path and stopped in front of them. Tahu said crudely, "Looks like we're going to have some fun after all."

Lewa had already jumped at them. The pack split apart, half dashing one way, half going another way. Lewa yelled, "Tahu, you follow one, I will follow the other! Perhaps they will lead us to any captured prisoners of Le-Koro."

"Very well, Toa. Be careful, we will need you for the future battles!"

With those words, Tahu had changed his mask to the Kakama and was chasing the Va. Lewa listened to Tahu's words echo back and forth in his head as he chased the Lehvak Va. Tahu had finally admitted that Lewa was a vital part of the team. He smiled at the thought of Tahu finally warming to him. Then he said out loud to himself, "No, there is a problem at hand, there will be time for reconciliation (and puns) later."

He dashed off into the jungle chasing the creatures, giving them ample room to believe they were outrunning him. When in fact, he knew that it would not be a problem to catch up with them at all, it was simply a question of when he wished to. Lewa wondered where the Lehvak Va would lead Tahu.

"Tell me about Ruka, Gakali. What was he like?"

The little Matoran glanced to Onua, startled by his sudden decision to start a conversation. She said, "Ruka was the greatest friend I had. We spent an immeasurable amount of time together."

Gali looked to the villager and smiled. She said, "It sounds as though Ruka was something more than a friend to you."

Gakali looked to the ground and didn't speak. Onua looked to Gali and shook his head in a dismissive gesture. Kopaka let out a small laugh. Gakali said, "Perhaps some day he may have been. We were truly friends during this time. I miss him very much already."

Onua responded, "Do not worry, brave villager. Ruka's death will never be forgotten. When it is time, I will remove his mask from the wall for you, you may have it as a memory of him. What else can you tell us about your friend?"

Kopaka was surprised by Onua's sudden curiosity about this Matoran. He realized it was a tragic event that had occurred, but Onua seemed to be taking this death very personally. Something wasn't as it should be.

What Kopaka didn't know about was the light conversation that had taken place between Onua and Ruka before his untimely death. Onua had listened to the fatally crippled Matoran tell him of a great love he had. Ruka described another villager of great beauty and wisdom. He described her as being the shining accomplishment of Mata Nui's great creations. Ruka had told him that this Matoran was unlike any other, her heart and her mind worked as one to ensure the greatest life possible. He told Onua that while he feared becoming so close to another villager, he couldn't help it. His feelings had taken him beyond the point of no return. Ruka had smiled at that point, and then looked to Onua and asked him to take care of her. It was that moment that Ruka had fallen asleep. Onua gently tried to awake him to get the name of the Matoran, but Ruka's sleep was never going to end. Within a few moments, Ruka's light sleep turned to a permanent slumber. Onua held the villager as the life faded out of his body. He held Ruka for some time, then laid him in his bed. He removed his mask and prayed to the Great Beings to show him the Matoran that Ruka had asked him to protect. He had no idea that his prayer was to be answered so quickly.

"Ruka was wonderful, he always cared more for others than himself. He would gladly take another shift in the mines to allow another digger to go see friends who were visiting from another village. His heart was truly as good as Mata Nui's."

Gakali described her deceased friend a bit more, but Onua didn't really register the words in his head. He simply heard the sound of the giant crack as the wall fell and the Nuhvok stormed. He heard the voice in his head over and over that called the Toa intruders. His emotions flowed through him like the fish in a river. Gakali finished a lighthearted story of Ruka and Onua heard Kopaka say, "Worry not, little one. We will make sure your friend's death is remembered."

"Huki, the swarm approaches! Where is Onewa?" a Po-Matoran called out.

"He is talking to the young warriors, building their spirits. We must prepare to battle. Gather up the new Asteroid balls Hafu has designed..." Huki paused, startled, "Where are the new defensive kickballs?"

The Po-Matoran found the balls, scattered around the sand outside the main gate to Po-Koro. Huki yelled, "What has happened?"

Onewa, hearing the urgency in Huki's voice ran up and said, "The balls have been scattered outside. We cannot reach them in enough time."

Huki ran to his hut and looked for any remaining balls they could use. He had none. He searched every other hut, looking for any weapons with which to use against the approaching Tahnok. He ran back to his hut and picked up the ball Hafu had given him, muttering to himself in a cold voice, "I'm sorry, Hafu, but this ball must be used to defend our lives. I cannot use it in your honor."

Huki climbed up to the high ledge and looked upon the approaching swarm. He could slightly make out the profiles of several Bohrok. There appeared to be hundreds approaching. He set the ball off to the side and vowed to make sure Hafu's ball would defend Po-Koro. If he could not save it for the winning goal of a Koli match, it would best be used as part of Po-Koro's line of defense. Huki climbed down and met with Onewa and Hafu. Onewa climbed up to the ledge first. Huki and Hafu gave each other a handshake for good luck as they climbed up. Onewa reached the ledge first and looked over the burning desert. Hafu and Huki quickly came to his sides. They both looked to their Turaga for guidance as he looked straightforward and said, "We cannot resist them."

"Kopaka, approach silently! Come near the ledge and keep yourself low."

The Toa of Ice heeded Onua's words and gently crawled next to him. They both looked over a rocky ledge. Down the ledge, approximately four bios, was the Nuhvok swarm. Only a small number were moving at all. Their legs or arms would occasionally twitch. Kopaka thought better and lowered himself again, using his Akaku to simply see through the rock ledge in front of them. He whispered to Onua tactfully, "This small ledge will provide excellent cover for our Matoran guest. She will not become injured if she remains here."

"But Kopaka, she wishes to avenge the death of..."

"This is not a mission of revenge. Ruka's death is going to last in our memories, but we will not jeopardize our mission over it."

"You are right, Toa of Ice, forgive me. I do not think logically at the moment."

"Your troubles are our troubles for the moment," Kopaka smirked.

Onua smiled and said, "Very well, Kopaka. What do we do?"

Kopaka looked through the rock again and noticed something odd. He lifted himself slightly to see a clear image without his mask. He used the mask's power to gently focus in on what he saw. His eyes became wide as he realized what he saw. He lowered himself again and whispered to Onua, "Perhaps Gakali will have the revenge she seeks."

Onua looked at the Toa of ice curiously as Kopaka said, "The Nuhvok there has a weapon bured in its back."

Onua looked to Kopaka and asked, "What does it matter?"

"Use your Akaku and look at the inscription on the weapon. It is very small, you'll have to look carefully."

Onua did so, and upon seeing the writing began to move nervously. He looked down to Kopaka with furious eyes. He looked again and read the simple message again:

_To the best digger of them all, Ruka_

_With love, Gakali_

Onua looked to Gakali and gestured for her to approach. Gali, who had been listening carefully, already understood and allowed the Matoran to join the two Toa. She looked to Onua with nervous eyes as Onua gently said, "We have found the Nuhvok that took Ruka's life."

Gakali looked to Kopaka and then Onua again, with fear and sadness building in her heart. "It's his pick, isn't it? The one I made him with the inscription?"

Onua looked down and nodded. He stood straight up with Kopaka as they looked upon the swarm. None of the Nuhvok were aware of their presence. Gakali lifted her ax and gave it to Onua, saying, "Please Onua, he was your villager, honor his sacrifice."

Onua took the ax and prepared to throw it, letting all his anger and frustration flow through the ax in his hands. He then lowered the ax and looked to Gakali and said, "I have a better idea."

Onua gave the ax to Gakali and picked up a tiny stone. He said, "Throw with all your might, Gakali. I will awake the creature first. It is up to you then."

Gakali shook nervously as she stuttered, "Onua I cannot! You must! I cannot do this..."

Her statement was interrupted by a gentle touch to her shoulder. Kopaka's left hand rested on her shoulder as Gali's hook came to rest on her left shoulder. Gali looked to the Matoran and said, "You can."

Kopaka nodded and added, "Our strength is yours."

Gakali looked to Onua, who smiled. She then turned to the Nuhvok swarm and drew her arm back. Kopaka gave a stern look to Onua. Onua nodded, understanding the situation. He took aim and threw the small stone at the Nuhvok. The stone landed directly on the Nuhvok's head shield. It stirred and rose itself up, immediately seeing the intruders. Gakali threw her arm forward, releasing the ax. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as the Nuhvok let out a gentle squeak, warning the rest of the swarm. Its tinny noise was cut short as it watched the small ax fly at it, dangling in the air, spinning and twisting at a perfect rate. The ax fell straight into its head shield. The Nuhvok flew back, its Krana destroyed. The entire body lay lifeless as the ax remained forcibly stuck in the Bohrok's hard body. The rest of the swarm awakened to the disturbing noise.

Gakali looked at the Nuhvok with total shock. Her face was frozen, her emotions silent. She simply kept staring.

Kopaka made a slight grunting noise as he watched the Toa of Earth change his mask from the Matatu, the noble mask of Telekinesis, to his usual Pakari. Onua smiled before looking down to Gakali. Her eyes met his, he could see the satisfaction in her smile. Onua knew, as well as Gali and Kopaka, that his aid in allowing the ax to reach the Nuhvok was to forever remain a close secret, never to be revealed to anyone else. Onua then stopped smiling and jumped on top of the small rocky wall in front of him. The Nuhvok below began to run around, chirping and cawing at the intruders. Kopaka took a place next to Onua, as Gali fell in line with them.

Onua watched as Kopaka and Gali jumped down from the ledge and began to fight the Nuhvok. He looked to Gakali and said, "Good job, little villager. You remain here, I will return your ax. Defend this ledge! We will watch for your safety, do not let the Bohrok escape out that tunnel!"

With that, he turned again towards the swarm and lowered his head. Onua felt the tension grows in him as he yelled out, "Your slumber has left you unaware, Bohrok! I will leave you far worse than that!"

The jungle provided excellent cover for the fleeing Bohrok Va as Lewa charged after them. His eyes became as hot as Tahu's fire as he glazed his logical thought over and allowed instinct to take over. Leaping and dodging trees was one thing at the speed he was moving, but due to Lewa's natural abilities, running on foot was not his specialty. He looked up at the somewhat low tree branches and began to call upon the power of wind. He created great bursts of wind to carry him forward as he used his Miru. The Miru kept him afloat in the air, his winds allowed him to push forward, and his great footwork allowed him to dodge the trees. He bounced and ricocheted off of every tree until he was above the Va and watching them intently as they fled. He saw the reflection of his bright gold mask in the structures of the Va. Silently, Lewa swung down and struck with his ax. He watched as pieces of one of the Va broke off from its structure and flew in random directions. The Va itself collapsed and stopped moving. The remaining creatures looked back momentarily but kept running forward to avoid a similar fate. Lewa counted six of them that he still followed. He kept gliding on the air after them until the Va all huddled in a small circle and stopped. Lewa swung around a few branches to slow himself down and looked at the Va. He looked around and realized he was close to Le-Koro already. The landscape was unmistakable; Le-Koro was no more than half a kio away. The Va all watched the Toa and then split apart, all running in random directions. Lewa quickly stepped forward in a vain effort to chase them, but rather decided it would be best to simply head straight to Le-Koro. That was the original purpose of the mission anyway.

The first glimpse of Le-Koro Lewa saw was one of the large decks built high in the trees. He could see the outline of a hut and what appeared to be some Matoran, but they were all just standing still, not moving at all. Using a strong gust of wind, Lewa propelled himself up into the trees and onto the deck. He saw the Matoran, but let out a loud gasp as he saw the problem.

Three Matoran stared at him, their eyes filled with anger and death. Lewa found it difficult to see their eyes through the Kranas on their faces. The three Matoran picked up weapons as several other villagers began to emerge from the foliage, weapons drawn. Every Matoran had a Krana attached to it. The villagers stopped a few bios from him and did not go further. Lewa looked at the possessed villagers in a puzzled manner. He turned and raised his ax. Unfortuantely, Lewa's intent to actually use the ax was purely for show, as he knew he would be unable to turn his weapon on the defenseless villagers. The problem that made the situation worse was the fact that the Krana all knew this too. The Matoran began to advance on him. A raspy voice found its way to Lewa's ears, "We've been waiting for you."

Tahu emerged from the jungle and found himself alone, he had lost the Va. "They squirm from my reach again," he muttered to himself.

Night was going to fall soon and Tahu was tired. He had worn himself out chasing the Va for so long. He could see the great Mangai volcano ahead, but it would be a day's walk at least to reach Ta-Koro. Tahu scanned the surrounding environment for threats to his upcoming slumber. Nearby was a large pond that looked as though it would contain life. He walked to it and used his Akaku to peer into the dense water. He could see several fish, a very large number of fish actually. He wondered if the Le-Matoran had stocked this particular pond for their food needs. Nevertheless, food was food, and it was exactly what Tahu needed. He searched for a simple device with which to withdraw the fish, but found nothing. He longed for Gali's presence, for she had become quite talented with diving for fish. Tahu needed the food though, and it would be quite a challenge to contact Gali now.

He finally realized what was necessary and used the power of his Kaukau. He dove into the water and shuddered at the feeling of the cold liquid all over his structure. The fish all swam away from him upon seeing the large splash. He looked in total surprise as he realized these were full-grown Ruki fish. Only one would be necessary to satisfy him for a long time. The Ruki were not coming near him and Tahu knew he would be unable to swim fast enough to catch them. He worried of their defensive capabilities, it was known that these creatures would ward off a Tarakava and water was not Tahu's favorite terrain feature. He thought of a plan and lifted his hand gently. He created a very bright flame and kept fueling it with his elemental power. The water caused the flame to be dulled to a bright glow, which lured the Ruki closer. A few swam close, but Tahu remained patient. A few of the Ruki circled the bright glow, Tahu watched as one fish made a bolt for it. As the fish opened its mouth to try and gobble up the flame, Tahu ignited his great sword and put it right into the giant fish. He swam upwards quickly and threw his prize on the shore. He put his sword aside and gathered several sticks together in a small circle. A wave of his hand was all it took to light the magnificent fire.

After placing the Ruki in a position so it would cook slowly, Tahu sat back and gazed at the stars. Night had now completely fallen, and the land grew dark and cold. He got up and walked around, looking for potential shelter. To his surprise, he found a nearby tree station. He laughed as he realized the Le-Matoran used this station to spy on the Ta-Matoran scouts who patrolled near the area long ago. Using his Miru, Tahu gently floated up to the platform and looked down at his fire. It was farther up than he had estimated. He slowly lowered himself down to the ground and prepared to eat.

The Ruki tasted better than he thought it would. The taste was very rich and it made Tahu feel a bit more comfortable in the cold air. He was forced to cut his meal short when he heard loud rustling in the jungle behind him. A quick guess pointed the noise at twenty bios away. Tahu quickly used his Miru and floated up into the platform to see what was behind him. His aggressive attitude became calm and humored as he realized what was making all the noise. He called down, "Hey down there! Can I interest you in some Ruki?"

The tunnels of the Nuhvok had led them to a surprising area. A low sizzling sound filled the air as the heroes ventured higher and higher into the clouds. Their journey took them to Mata Nui's greatest natural feature, the Mangai volcano. Kopaka led the way, being very familiar with these high altitudes, whether it was a snowy mountain or not. Gakali was behind him, carrying the Krana from the Bohrok that had slain Ruka. Behind her were Gali and then Onua, who would be capable of catching any of them if they were to fall on the steep surface. For the whole trip up the mountain, Onua had been looking at nothing but the Krana. Hate filled his eyes as he stared at the helpless life form. The preceding battle had done little to calm his spirits, as violent as it was.

They reached the top of the giant rise and found themselves looking at a large group of Matoran. At a quick glance, they all appeared to be from Ta-Koro, but several Ko-Matoran had joined them. They explained that they had seen several Bohrok traveling up the volcano and decided to investigate. The Matoran explained toe the Toa that they had been there for some time without any sign of the Bohrok. The reports must have been false, they concluded. Gali began to suggest that the party depart to their respective villages and await the morning when Kopaka interrupted her, "Prepare yourselves."

Gali peered up gently and saw glowing eyes staring back at her from the other side of the volcano. A light fog began to clear as more eyes appeared. Not one pair of the eyes was moving. There was little time to call out orders.

Several Bohrok with the Vu Krana inside had launched in from the sides and were now attacking. Many Matoran stumbled about, trying to take whatever cover they could. The Bohrok appeared to jump a long distance and easily overtake the Matoran. The three Toa wasted no time in preparing to battle. Kopaka called upon his Miru and began to quickly dispatch the gliding Bohrok one by one as they flew into the crowd of Matoran. Onua was throwing rocks in every direction he saw the glowing eyes. Gali's eyes flared as her hooks began to glow light blue. A great stream of water shot out from each hook, pounding into the Bohrok.

The swarm on the other side of the volcano had begun to move towards the villagers. Gali looked to her comrade and yelled to him, "Kopaka, I do not believe I have ever seen so many Bohrok, I see every species present! There must be thousands of them!"

"They followed us, the Nuhvok in the tunnel must have notified the rest of the swarm!"

Onua shouted, "But we left no Nuhvok alive. We destroyed them all!"

"They obviously have the means to contact the rest of the swarm," Gali shouted in return, "for these Bohrok attack quite heartily."

Onua charged into several oncoming Tahnok. He watched as one lost its footing and stumbled into a small crack, its foot became stuck. Onua noticed how close the Tahnok was to the edge of the volcano. With a mighty blow he struck the rock below and sent the Tahnok flying into the steaming crater. He smiled and muttered, "Hot enough for 'ya?"

The charge was merciless. Some Matoran were already wounded, luckily none were slain. The battle had been going for several minutes now. Gali looked over to see Gakali thrashing about with her pick. She had taken out three Pahrak by herself already, she now struggled with a Lehvak. The Lehvak's eyes began to glow brighter. Gali realized it was about to shoot its dangerous acid at Gakali. Gali turned to help the Matoran, but was surprised to see Kopaka's sword fly into its structure. The battle raged on.

Muaka had silently been moving through the jungle. Its sharp sense of smell had picked up the cooking Ruki that Tahu was preparing and had lured it to him. He recognized the beast instantly as the female Muaka who had aided the Toa in their battle against the Bohrok. Tahu had silently lowered himself down to the jungle floor and darted his eyes back and forth to look for any other creatures present. His Akaku saw nothing and Tahu felt he was not one to argue against the mask's power.

Upon reaching a place a few bios from the Muaka, Tahu lifted a piece of the Ruki and held it out with his hand. Muaka had been staring at the Toa of Fire, not moving at all. Her eyes were as still as Kopaka's mountains, but her heart was racing as fast as Gali's rivers. Tahu knew that any false move would send the giant predator into a frenzy that would ultimately end his or her life. He desired neither of the outcomes and remained as still as possible. He gently flipped a piece of the fish at the beast. She looked down at it, then slowly craned her extended neck towards it, sniffing giant breaths. Eventually she moved forward enough to take the meat. She then looked right at the remaining food in Tahu's hand. She slowly moved to take the meat. Her giant mouth gently accepted the food as Tahu brought his arm to the top of her head. He gently stroked her nose as she ate carefully. The short puffs coming from her nose informed Tahu that she was enjoying his touch. He smiled and quietly whispered, "I do not fight only for the Matoran, I fight for all of Mata Nui. That includes you, Old Girl."

Muaka slowly rested on the ground and allowed the Toa to continue stroking her. He slowly moved his hand back and began to scratch behind her ears. She purred loudly at the feeling and cocked her head slightly to give him a better angle. Tahu began to laugh. Muaka, startled, sat up and glared at Tahu. He began to ease her tension with calm humming noises. A taste for excellent music and a beautiful harmony had always been one of Tahu's guilty pleasures, though he allowed none of his comrades to know.

Muaka rested again on the jungle floor and continued purring. Her movements became less rigid as Tahu watched her eyes slowly begin to close. Within a few minutes, the giant predator had become a great friend of the Toa. Her eyes completely closed and she drifted off into a gentle sleep. Tahu continued scratching her ears for some time before feeling very tired. He quietly climbed into a nearby tree and allowed himself one last look at the sleeping giant. He eventually gave into the fatigue and fell asleep. Muaka let out a mighty sigh as she eased her body into total relaxation. Tahu's final thought before falling asleep had only been a slight regret for not having eaten any of the Ruki himself.

Tahu awoke to a loud crashing sound. His eyes darted back and forth through the dark jungle. His mask took the form of an Akaku as he scanned the thick night. The sound had been distant, but it was loud. He saw nothing, the jungle was clear. Muaka had left him as he saw a large trail that led off into the direction of the mountain ahead. Another sound startled him as he lost his grip in the tree. He fell through the branches, hitting his head many times and landing on the sharp ground. He sat up, unhurt, and laughed, "Lewa enjoys hanging in these for fun. He truly is a fool."

His eyes quickly saw the bright light coming from the top of the volcano. He thought to himself, "The Mangai isn't due to erupt anytime soon. This is strange."

With his Akaku he was able to see the large swarm of Bohrok crawling up the massive side of the volcano. He yelled, "Oh no! Not today!"

His legs carried him forward as he dashed off to the volcano. It would take awhile to climb all the way up, but his motivation was strong and fierce. An instinct told him, although he had no proof to go on, that his friends were in trouble.


	5. Execution

Chapter 5 – Execution

Lewa swung himself into the air using a nearby, low hanging vine. He swung onto a tree branch and quickly used his ax to block the weapons being thrown at him. Several Matoran had gathered and were quickly overcoming the Toa. Lewa was being as cautious as the situation would permit not to hurt the Matoran. He knew they were unable to control their bodies and should not have to suffer for their actions under a foreign influence. Unfortunately, the situation was becoming urgent and Lewa feared he would have to use violent force.

The Matoran had obviously been preparing for Lewa's visit as a huge net had been placed under the brush that stopped Lewa from escaping. Now he saw a small hole, one with which he could escape with relative ease. He quickly dashed for the hole when he felt a sharp pain on his right arm. He dropped his ax from the reflex and turned to see three Lehvak charging him. His right arm was covered in a thick, green goo. It sizzled as it lightly burned his arm. He shook his arm and removed the slime but didn't move quickly enough to evade the Lehvak. The first attacker knocked him off his feet. The other two drew back and watched. Lewa stood up and tried to move but one of the Lehvak knocked him over again, this time knocking his Kanohi off too. The Lehvak begin circling the Toa, making menacing growling noises as they moved. Their eyes were intent and unforgiving. Lewa could hear the light snapping noise as their claws clamped shut and slowly opened at random moments. The Lehvak were toying with him. They were trying to scare him. He couldn't figure out why. He looked over to his left gently as saw a Matoran with a Krana attached. He quickly realized the Bohrok were waiting for him to lift his head from the ground. He put his head down and laid it on the floor gently. Using only one side of his head to see, he could see the Lehvak circling him, growling more loudly. He laughed loudly and yelled, "You see what a superior intellect can do now! You can't get one of those on me unless I want it to be on me!"

Lewa laughed again but then heard a familiar voice in his head, "Intruder..."

Lewa quickly shot up at the sound of the voice, it was the same one he had heard in the tunnel. He cocked his head to one side, then turned just in time to see the large red object flying at him.

Lewa felt the Krana begin to tightly grasp his face. It began to twist and turn until it aligned itself properly to attach itself to him. He felt a thousand tiny needle-like pains on his face. He threw his arms up and tried to pry the parasite off. The Krana grasped even tighter and began to cause extreme pain. Lewa began to yell loudly as the creature wrapped itself around him tighter and tighter. The Krana created a disgusting slime that began to bond to Lewa's face. He could smell the liquid and it made him nauseous. He could feel that the liquid was like an adhesive to help the Krana stay attached, but he didn't realize the smell was actually designed to make the victim lose concentration and pass out, making the Krana infection process far easier. Lewa ignored the smell and kept pulling the parasite. Every time he touched it the sharp pains became twice as worse. His face began to burn and hurt worse than any part of his structure ever had. Lewa screamed as loudly as he could as the pain became overwhelming. The Krana sensed the moment of conclusion was approaching and it quickly used all its strength at once. Lewa's face went numb as the Krana squeezed too tight for the Toa too bear. The pain became too much and Lewa passed out. The Krana held its tight grip for several moments then released the pressure when it was certain Lewa was no longer a threat.

A collapsed Lehvak nearby was treated to a replacement Krana as a small Lehvak Va gave it another. The Lehvak rose up and looked down at its fallen victim. The Lehvak let out a quick barking noise that signaled all the Matoran and Lehvak to return to their duties.

Lewa's eyes slowly opened, but they were not the eyes of a hero. His eyes shown with pure evil. He looked up and saw a large blue creature begin to move away from the village of Le-Koro. It walked gently but with all the mass to it, it didn't move through the thick jungle gradually. Lewa heard voices in his head, too many to distinguish one from another. All the voices stopped as the familiar voice returned, "We will return Mata Nui to the Before Time. Go and return to your duties."

Lewa smirked formed an evil smirk and lifted himself up. He picked up his ax and awaited the arrival of the next Toa. A lone Lehvak Va picked up the fallen hero's Kanohi and returned to a small pack of the Va. They went into the safety of the hive and watched as the drones all worked.

Tahu furiously clawed at the rocky side of the volcano, attempting to get to the top as quickly as possible. He could hear the battle taking place up above in the night sky. He heard the screech of the Bohrok, the yells of courage and pain from the Matoran, and he could scarcely make out the deep voice of Kopaka. Time was running short for the Toa of fFire, his friends desperately needed his help. He yelled out, "Curse this volcano! I will never reach the summit in enough time."

A loud roar from underneath him answered his yell. He looked down to see the giant face of Muaka. Tahu smiled and said, "Why, you're back Old Girl? What brings you to these parts?"

Muaka slowly shifted her weight and began climbing the mountain. Tahu watched as the giant beast moved with relative ease up the slippery side of the volcano. She held her weight slow and forward on her body to prevent her from slipping. Tahu saw as she used her giant claws to dig right into the rock and create her own system of steps. He back tread slowly forced her up. She reached Tahu with very little effort in little time. She stopped and purred loudly at him. He replied, "Go on, Old Girl, they killed your mate, not mine. Avenge him. Go as fast as..."

He stopped talking when he saw the other small creature with them. A small Muaka clung to the far side of the adult creature. Tahu glanced quickly in surprise from the baby to the Muaka he had come to know. He smiled as he said, "I see. Taking the little one for his first hunt? You're a good mother and his father was strong indeed."

The adult Muaka purred loudly and slowly moved closer to Tahu. She bumped her big nose into him and gently lifted him up, causing him to lose his footing for a brief moment. He yelled in anger, "Careful! I'm not nearly as skilled at this as you."

Muaka's eyes blinked as she growled and again forced him away from the wall with her nose. This time, however, she forced him on top of her head. Tahu hung on with all his might as the giant creature shifted her body around to give him the best placement possible. She slowly began to climb up the rocky wall again. Tahu realized he had just been 'offered' a ride. Not one thought in his mind encouraged him to reject the offer. Instead he smiled and allowed the gentle creature to carry him up the mountain. He heard the yells get louder and louder as they got closer to the top. It was only a matter of minutes before they reached his friendshis comrades now.

Gali could see the Matoran gradually losing faith in their battle. Although she had no justifiable proof, she was sure some of the poor villagers had lost their lives already. Many lay unconscious on the rocky floor, with just as many being carried away by their friends for medical attention. Bohrok carcasses littered the ground as small Bohrok Va ran about replacing Krana in the fallen beasts. The depressing state of the battle hit Gali as she realized that a Bohrok was capable of simply getting back up and moving on in the battle once its Krana was replaced. The Matoran weren't so lucky. This thought filled the Toa of Water with rage. Her entire structure tightened up as her emotions go the better of her. She shot giant streams of water out of her arms and pulverized not only the attacking Bohrok, but also several of the wounded ones. She watched as many were forced into the mouth of the volcano with no chance of living again. She felt no regret as she took the lives of these creatures anymore. She felt no remorse for her actions, only bitterness and anger.

Kopaka had no time to notice the Toa of Water's reaction to the battle. He fought as carefully and efficiently as always. His emotions rarely controlled his actions: this battle would be no exception. He swung his sword at every Bohrok he saw, active or fallen. It didn't matter. They were all enemies.

Onua was yelling loudly at every enemy he defeated. Every Bohrok that fell to his monstrous hands was an outlet for the anger Onua had built up recently. He attacked quickly and aggressively. Most of the Bohrok that attempted to attack him never made it within half a bio of him. The ones that managed to come within physical reach of him suffered a fate their primitive minds were incapable of comprehending. He lifted up three Bohrok at once and tossed them straight into the air. Using his Kakama, Onua quickly lifted two more of the bugs and held them in each hand. As the three airborne Bohrok fell, Onua swung the Bohrok he held at each one like a ball in a Matoran game. When he had dispatched the three Bohrok, he threw one that he held at an approaching group, knocking them over like pebbles. He took the other and held it up as he made brief eye contact with the Toa of ice.

Kopaka noticed the gleam in Onua's eye as he raised his sword straight into the air. Onua hurled the frightened Bohrok at Kopaka. Onua watched as the drone was destroyed instantly as it hit Kopeck's powerful weapon. "Excellent throw, my friend," Kopaka proclaimed.

Onua smiled and replied, "Beats Koli any day."

Kopaka returned his attention to the battle and fought even more bravely.

Onua lost control as several Bohrok managed to overtake him as his attention had drifted from the matters at hand. Four Bohrok managed to pin down his limbs easily. Onua was surprised at the weight these creatures were capable of applying. Normally he found it so easy to lift them, but with so many of them attacking, his power was failing him. He turned his head as he saw out of the corner of his eye a giant fireball flying towards him. The flame trickled across his head as he felt a light stinging from the heat. Onua closed his eyes tightly at the feeling, noticing his mistake far too late. As his eyes closed, the Tahnok that had fired upon him launched forward and managed to strike his mask off. Onua opened his mouth to scream in protest as he watched a Pahrak on top of his chest rear its head back. The Pahrak prepared to launch its parasitic Krana at the Toa of earth when a giant roar echoed through the air. The sound resonated throughout the soul of every creature present. The Pahrak on top of Onua turned to see what had created the noise, giving Onua plenty of time and opportunity to throw the Bohrok from his structure. Onua stood up and saw the monstrous Muaka standing at the edge of the volcano. A shadowed figure stood up on top of the giant tiger and yelled out, "The days of yesterday echo the days of tomorrow! I fight for the days of tomorrow. And nNone of you will echo sound in the days of tomorrow!"

Tahu's mask switched to the Kakama, as did all the other Toa's. The Toa attacked as a team. They moved swiftly and efficiently, striking down the key Bohrok. The battle had raged on with three of the heroes. With four, the Bohrok stood no chance. The added presence of Muaka only added to the Toa's advantage. For every Bohrok the Toa took down, the enraged Muaka struck down two.

High above the volcano, a Kewa flew by, carrying two Matoran upon it. The Ta-Matoran looked down and smiled as one said to the other, "We must tell Vakama! The battle will not be lost today!"

The sun rose brightly that day. The Bohrok had long since fled into the night, and the Toa were now carrying any wounded Matoran to a makeshift medical encampment. Several Ga-Matoran were tending to the wounded. The villagers had counted their losses. Surprisingly, only eight Matoran had lost their lives to the Bohrok swarms. As tragic as the losses were, everyone counted their blessings for having not lost more. Tahu surveyed the damaged volcano top and spoke proudly, "We have fought a great battle this day! The Bohrok swarms have fallen to the unified might of Mata Nui's people! We now know that we can win this war once and for all!"

Tahu looked around and noticed that every Matoran now stared at him. He saw a great sense of hope in their eyes. He smiled as he saw Kopaka come forward and speak to the crowd, a rare occurrence for the Toa of ice.

"The battle we have all fought this night has given us the courage and confidence we need to wage the final battle." Kopaka looked at his friends and saw their nods of approval, "The loss of the Matoran who have given their lives will never be forgotten. We will stop this chaos and end the swarms once and for all! Mata Nui will be free!"

Muaka returned to the jungle after some final good-byes to her friends. The volcano had been completely stripped of all signs of battle. The wounded Matoran were moved to their villages and were being tended to. The Toa had all left except for Kopaka. Kopaka stood up tall and looked into the bright morning sun. He took his mask off and placed his sword on his back. He walked to the edge of the giant mountain and looked down upon the entire island. He let out a loud sigh as he spoke outloud in an almost spiritual way, "I do not know what surprises this island has in store for my friends and me. We cannot beat the swarms as we are today. Something must bring the balance of power back to our side. This island holds many secrets I can only dream of... but my dreams have become so cold. I do not know if we will win this war... I try to assure the Matoran, but I cannot be sure of our victory. I am worried, Great Spirits. I cannot fail my people. Help us!"

Kopaka turned sharply as he heard a loud footstep behind him. Gali approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. She smiled, realizing how uncomfortable it made Kopaka when his insecurities were apparent to others. She chose to avoid words, and instead looked into the sun. Kopaka looked to the ground in embarrassment at first, but then he also looked back to the sun. Gali looked to him and said, "Come Kopaka, the Matoran wish for us to be present at a victory party."

Kopaka and Gali joined the party celebration and remembered what it was like to have fun again. The Toa agreed to finally sit down and plan out their attack on the source of the Bohrok, whatever it may be. They remained together for that night and decided to wait until the following day to make any action.

Kopaka fell asleep last among his friends. He watched them and realized how truly great their cause was. He remembered the Matoran, Ruka, and Onua's reaction to his death. He remembered the kinship between his comrades. Friends, yet the Toa were so much more, they were his sister and his brothers. They were family. A warm sensation tingled Kopaka's heart, a feeling that disturbed the master of sub-zerofrozen temperatures. The feeling quickly enveloped his whole structure as he understood that hope was finally within him. He fell asleep quickly. For the first time in several months Kopaka's dreams were not cold. He knew it was only a matter of time before Mata Nui would be free once more.Kopaka battles Bohrok that killed muaka


End file.
